U.S. Forest Service · Custer Gallatin National Forest · Montana

Rainbow Point Campground

Rainbow Point Campground is located on the banks of scenic Hebgen Lake, in southwestern Montana. It is approximately 10 miles north of West Yellowstone and the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Visitors enjoy the area for its boating, fishing and hiking opportunities, as well as its close proximity to Yellowstone.

More like this: electric hookups in Montana · reservable in Montana · big rigs in Montana · pets allowed in Montana

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Rainbow Point CampgroundRainbow Point CampgroundPine trees surrounding campsite, picnic table & fire ringRainbow Point Campground
Photos courtesy of Vickie Barta · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard with electric46
Standard, no hookups38
Host/management1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

84 sites in 4 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePowerWater / sewerPeople / vehiclesFires
A01Loop AStandardBack-in51GravelPartialNoNo / No8 / 2Yes
A02Loop AStandardBack-in48GravelPartialNoNo / No8 / 2Yes
A03Loop AStandardBack-in42GravelPartialNoNo / No8 / 2Yes
A04Loop AStandardBack-in48GravelPartialNoNo / No8 / 2Yes
A05Loop AStandardBack-in45GravelPartialNoNo / No8 / 2Yes
A06Loop AStandardBack-in60GravelPartialNoNo / No8 / 2Yes
A07Loop AStandardBack-in67GravelPartialNoNo / No8 / 2Yes
A08Loop AStandardBack-in36GravelPartialNoNo / No8 / 2Yes
A09Loop AStandardBack-in54GravelPartialNoNo / No8 / 2Yes
A10Loop AStandardBack-in57GravelPartialNoNo / No8 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric
Max vehicle length52 ft
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesAdditional vehicles will be assessed a $8.00/night extra vehicle fee upon arrival at your site. This fee will be collected by the campground host.

The campground offers several single-family campsites, many of which have electric hookups. Sites are equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Firewood is available for purchase within the campground.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonMay to September
ForestCuster Gallatin National Forest
BookingRecreation.gov 1-877-444-6777
Fees$26.00 includes 2 driving vehicles. $9.00 each additional vehicle. $35.00 for electrical sites. Federal Recreation Passes not applicable toward additional vehicle or electric fees.

Custer Gallatin National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Rainbow Point Campground10°20°30°40°50°60°January: 2.28 inches of precipitationFebruary: 2.06 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.17 inches of precipitationApril: 2.31 inches of precipitationMay: 2.70 inches of precipitationJune: 2.49 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.30 inches of precipitationAugust: 1.39 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.69 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.92 inches of precipitationNovember: 2.61 inches of precipitationDecember: 3.05 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 13.5°F averageFebruary: 16.4°F averageMarch: 24.4°F averageApril: 34.2°F averageMay: 43.9°F averageJune: 51.2°F averageJuly: 59.4°F averageAugust: 57.0°F averageSeptember: 48.6°F averageOctober: 36.1°F averageNovember: 23.6°F averageDecember: 14.2°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at W Yellowstone Gateway, 10 miles from the campground at 6,679 feet, station USC00248858 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 26 inches a year.

Getting there

From West Yellowstone, travel 5 miles north on Highway 191. Turn west (left) onto Rainbow Point Road (Forest Road 6954) and travel 3 miles, then 2 miles north (right) on Rainbow Point Road, after the intersection.

Coordinates44.7792° N, 111.1803° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Shenango Pile Rx

    47 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearEagle's Curios ↗9.2 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗9.3 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Rainbow Point Campground | Custer Gallatin National Forest | Montana | Site by Site Campgr

Worth a stop

West Yellowstone offers dining, shopping and lodging options. The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center is a popular attraction with live grizzlies, gray wolves and birds of prey, and a variety of educational exhibits and programs. Yellowstone National Park offers unparalleled wildlife viewing opportunities, breathtaking scenery and unique geological features.

  • 2 mi
    Horse Butte Spur (snowmo)
    0.6 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 2.3 mi
    Horse Butte Loop (snowmo) ↗
    7.4 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 2.3 mi
    Horse Butte (snowmo) ↗
    6 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 2.3 mi
    Johnson Lake
    2.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.8 mi
    Cougar Creek (snowmo) ↗
    7.8 mi trail · snowmobile, snowshoe, ski
  • 2.9 mi
    Whits Lake
    2.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Natural features

Hebgen Lake sits on the Madison River, at an elevation of 6,240 feet. The lake covers 21 square miles and has 65 miles of shoreline. Rainbow Point is situated on Rainbow Bay, among a dense forest of lodgepole pine. A variety of waterfowl is often spotted in the area, including sandhill cranes, herons, Western grebes, white pelicans, osprey, Canada geese, mallards, wood ducks, loons and bald and golden eagles. Bison, deer and moose are frequently seen as well.

Recreation

Hebgen Lake is considered Montana's premier still-water fishing lake. Anglers will find a healthy population of brown, cutthroat and rainbow trout. Boating and swimming are popular activities on the lake. A boat ramp is located within the campground. Hiking, biking and off-road vehicle trails crisscross the surrounding area.

Guidebooks for Montana

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Best Tent Camping: Montana
    Vicky Soderberg and Ken Soderberg, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Moon Montana, Wyoming and Idaho Camping
    Becky Lomax, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Camping Montana
    Kenneth L. Graham, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Rainbow Point Campground?

Sites at Rainbow Point Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Recreation.gov 1-877-444-6777 Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Rainbow Point Campground?

Additional vehicles will be assessed a $8.00/night extra vehicle fee upon arrival at your site. This fee will be collected by the campground host.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Rainbow Point Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Rainbow Point Campground open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season May to September.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Rainbow Point Campground have?

85 sites, including 46 standard sites with power and 38 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Rainbow Point Campground?

The longest site here provides 52 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Does Rainbow Point Campground have hookups?

Yes, electric hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Rainbow Point Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Rainbow Point Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Rainbow Point Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Rainbow Point Campground?

Hebgen Lake is considered Montana's premier still-water fishing lake. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Rainbow Point Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Lonesomehurst Campground (3.9 mi), Bakers Hole (8.8 mi, partly first-come), and Cabin Creek Campground (10.3 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby